Refrigerating apparatus



Sel* 3, 1935- E. HEITMAN REFRIGEBATING APPARATUS Filed nay 12', 1934 2 sheets-sheet 1 INVENTOR. 0h/919D ama/1 ATTORNEY.

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Sept. 3, 1935. E. HEITMAN nmmmme Arrmws y Filed lay 12, 1934 2 sheets-sheet 2 INVENTOR. www lic/wm ATTORNEY.

Patented Sept. 3, 1935 l y y I 22,013,516 l UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Edward Hetman, Detroit, Mich., assigner to Kelvinator Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of. Michigan v Application May 12, 1934, serial No. 725,305

z claims. (ci. cs2-12s) This invention relates to refrigerating appaevaporator being welded at 30. to prevent leakratus. and more particularly to refrigerant age between the two members. Aswill be noted evaporators for use in connection with such in Fig. 4 of the drawings, the cup shaped sheet apparatus. metal members are substantially cylindrical in 5 One of the objects of my invention is to proformationand the inner sheet metal member 28 5 vide an improved refrigerant evaporator which is provided with a substantially at bottom porconsists of but two substantially cylindrical or tion 32 for supporting a at bottom ice making cup shaped sheets of metal which cooperate to receptacle 34.` 'I'he outer sheet metal member provide a reservoir for refrigerant, with the two is also provided with a substantially flat bottom l sheets being so arranged as to provide a flat portion 36 which cooperates with the flat bottom 10 surface for supporting a flat bottoni receptacle portion 32 for rigidly securing the two cup shaped in thermal contact with the refrigerant in said members together against pressures existing in reservoir, and to rigidly secure the two sheets of the system.I Preferably, the fiat bottom portion metal together at various points along said flat 36 of the cup shaped member 26 is provided with l surface to strengthen the evaporator against corrugations 38 which serve to space the two fiat 15 pressures existing in the evaporator. bottom portions from one another and to provide 'Other objects and advantages will be apparent transverse passages 39 for the flow of refrigerant from the following description, reference being between the two cup shaped members. As shown had to the accompanying drawings. in Fig. 3, the inwardly directed portions of the In the drawings: f corrugations are in engagement with the fiat 20 Fig. 1 is a front view showing my improved bottom of the inner cup shaped member. In refrigerant evaporator in elevation locatedin a` order to rigidly secure these two bottom porrefrigerator cabinet, partly4 in cross section and tions together, the two flat bottom surfaces are Dltly broken away; securedtogether at the points of contactby any Fig. 2 is a side view of the refrigerating appasuitable tie means, such as by spot welding. By 25 ratus shown in Fig. 1 and including diagramthis arrangement the inner and outer cup shaped matically a' refrigerant condensing unit assomembers are spaced from-one another about their ciated with the evaporating unit; outer and inner circumferences, respectively, so

Fig. 3 is anenlarged view in cross section of my as to provide a reservoir for liquid and gaseous 80 'vvoratrfthe view being taken along the line refrigerant. It will thus be noted that re- 30 3-8 of Pig. 1; frigerant may circulate freely between the twov Fig. 4 is a view taken along the line 4 4 of cup shaped members, If desired, the inner cup F13- 3i shaped member may be welded to the outer cup Fis. 5 is a view in cross section of a modified shaped member adjacent the closed ends there- 815 form of evaporating-unit embodying features of of at 40.- It will thus be noted that the two cup my invention; and shaped members are s curely united by welding so Fig. 8 is a `view taken along the line 6-6 of as to prevent leakage therebetween and also to F18. 5. strengthen the evaporator .so as to prevent bulg` Referring tothe drawings, the numeral 20 .ing by excessive pressures within the reservoir 0 designates, in general, a refrigerator cabinet, for refrigerant.y Preferably, the inner andv outer 40' which may be of the so-called household type. cup shaped members are made of drawn steel.` y The cabinet includes a food storage compartment 'I'he evaporator is also provided with an inlet con- 22- in which is disposed a refrigerant evaponection 42 and an outlet connection'M. vSuitable rator 2t. 4'threaded straps may be provided for securing In order to construct a. refrigerant evaporator the. evaporator to a wall of the compartment 22. at low cost and at the same time have al1 the Preferably, the straps 46 are welded to the outer advantages of fast freezing and proper box cup shaped member 26. cooling, I have constructed the evaporator 24 Liquid refrigerant is supplied to and evaporatof two pieces of material in a manner about to be ed refrigerant is withdrawn from the evaporator l0 described. The evaporator includes an outer by a refrigerant condensing element 50. The 5 0 sheet metal cup shaped member 26 and an inner condensing element includes a compressor 52. aheet metal cup shaped member 28;. The outer motor 54, condenser 55 and high side float mechsheet metal cup shaped member completely suranism 51. Evaporated refrigerant is withdrawn rounds the inner sheet metal member, with'the from the evaporator 2l through the outlet con- Il terminating edges adjacent the front of the nection 44 by the compressor 62 through a vapor 55 conduit 58. The compressor compresses the gaseous refrigerant and delivers it to the oondenser 55 wherein 'it is liquefied and from which it is delivered to the float mechanism 51. Liquid refrigerant is supplied to the evaporator through inlet connection 42 by means of a liquid conduit S0 under the control of the float mechanism 51.

Preferably, the refrigerating system just described is intermittently operated. In order to control the operation of the: compressor, I have provided an automatic switch 64 which is responsive to changes .in pressures Within4 the conduit 58 for opening and closing the electric circuit to the motor which drives the compressor.

ified form of evaporating unit. In this particular embodiment of the invention, I have provided two cylindrical shaped members, namely; an outer member 'l0 and an inner member l2. In this instance the back portion of the evaporating element is constructed in all respects the same as the forward end. In this construction the corrugations 13 of the outer cylindrical shaped member T0 do not extend all the Way across the bottom of the evaporator but terminate substantially at the central portion of the evaporator along the substantially fiat bottom wall thereof where the outer member is depressed inwardly as at 'l5 throughout the length of the evaporator to provide additional means for strengthening the evaporator. The depressed portion 15 is preferably spot wel-ded to the inner cylindrical shaped member along the flat surface thereof so as to provide additional rigidity to the structure. The evaporating element in all other respects corresponds to the evaporating element 24 shown in Figs. 1 to 4, inelusive.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that I have provided an improved refrigerant evaporator which consists of only two sheets of metal, each of which are either in the form of a cylinder of cylindrical cup shaped members. By providing the lowermost portion of each of the two members with a substantially flat portion and corrugating the lowermost portion of`one of the members, I have provided a device which will provide a flat surface for supporting an ice mak-- ing receptacle in thermal contact with the refrigerant in the evaporator whereby to facilitate fast freezing, and at the same time this arrangement permits the two members to be spot welded together to rigidly secure one of the cup shaped members within the other so as to prevent bulging by excessive pressures Within the evaporator. Thus, it will be noted thatI have pro- Referring now to Fig. 5, there is shown a modvided for the rapid freezing of ice and at the Sametime the exterior of the evaporator is exposed to the circulating air Within the food storage compartment for cooling the circulating air. Although I have shown an evaporator having provisions for supporting but one ice making receptacle, it is to be understood that any suitable lugs or supporting structure may be positioned above the ice making receptacle-*within the evaporator for supporting an additional tray, or trays, or, if desired, an ice tray may be positioned in the evaporator to be supported upon the upper surface of the receptacle 34. Although only a preferred forrn of the invention has been illustrated, and that form described 1 in detail, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that `various modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention or from the scope of the appended claims. 2

What I claim is: f. g c" 1. A refrigerant evaporator of the type havingy an air cooling surface and an ice freezing sure face comprising, in combination, an inner c up shaped sheet metal member havinga substan- 2- being welded to the flat portion of the. innerl 35k formation surrounding said inner member ,and 4` having a substantially flat surface in alignment, with the at surface in the inner member. and', said flat surface of the outer member being con? rugated to provide a series of passages forfrefrigerant immediately below said receptacle, the.' 5 inwardly directed portions of the'corrugatins" being welded to the flat portion of the inner: member, the closed ends ofv said cup-shaped" members being welded together, andthe ter.

minating edges of said cup shaped members`be`f5S lng welded at said edges.

EDWARD HEITMAnf 

